Apparatus for cleaning eggs



C. J. WILLIAMSON.

APPARATUS ron CLEANING 500s.

APPLICATION FILED APR-26, 1921.

Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- Evert 61] IZZ/z'amswz alfvrne ya,

WNk

C. J. WILLIAMSON.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING EGGS.

APPLICATION FILED APR-26, 1921.

1,392,546, Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

and disc arged at the si UNITED s'rA'ras PATENT ori-lca.

coiomin J. wmuxsox, or am rmcisco, cum-01min, assmxon 'ro wm'uax- 80Rncxnm comm, or an: rmcisco, camonm, a conrona'rior-or canr'romru. 1

Specification o! Letteralatent.

APPARATUS FOR Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

Application filed April as, 1m. lerlal in. 404,050.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, Comm J. Wnnau- SON, acitizen'of the United States, residing at the city and county of SanFrancisco and State of California, have invented certain new and usefulIm rovements in A aratns for Cleaning ggs, of which t e ollowing is aspecification.

The hereinafter described invention relates more particularl to that tof egg cleaning machine ful y set fort in my nding a plication, SerialNumber 433528, filed in t e United States Patent Oflice under date ofDecember 27, 1920, and to which reference is hereunto made.

In the operation of the machine disclosed in said pendin application, itwas found that at times t e stream of eggs as advanced by the endlesscarrier between the fixed and rotatable brushes of the egg runway therewas a tendency for the eggs to crowd one onto the other, or in otherwords for the stream of eggs to buckle. When this took lace one or moreof the e gs would clim relative to the associated orward eg of thestream and move upwardly, bein lif ted or raised b the rotating brush oft e e g runway an (gradually elevated e of the machine, the egg or eggsthus separated from the stream of eggs passin through the machine anddischarged out o the line of travel by the rotating brush of the eggrunway being broken and destroyed and thus lost for storage or rocessipurposes.

The 0 ject of t e present invention is pri- I marily to provide to agreat extent against such loss by recovering the eggs so discharged, inother words to salvage the eggs taken from the egg stream of theapparatus disclosed in my said application Serial Number 433528.

In order to com rehend the invention, reference should 'be' ad to theaccompanyin sheets of drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a part sectionaltop plan view of the apparatus, certain parts thereof bein broken away;

ig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 Fi 1 of thedraw p g mgs .of' the fixed brushes.

and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the e g carrier and one of thefixed brushes of t e e runwa taken on the line 3--3--: Fig. of therawings, and viewed in the direction 'of the arrow, said view illustrating the means for ad'usti the ition of the fixed brush of this e grunwsy I Fig. 4 1s a detail si e elevation of the parts disclosed byFig. 3 of the drawings.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional lan view taken on the lines 5-5, 55- i2 of the drawings, illustrating the rotary rushes of the egg runway andthe pockets or contamers associated therewith for receiving the eggsdischarged from the machine out of their properline of travel.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6- Fig. 2 of thedrawings.

application, Serial Number 433528, and cal for no detailed descriptionherein.

In the present case, however, to the backing a of the fixed orstationary brushes 3-3 are attached the plates b, each being providedwith ears 0 to which are pivotally mounted at 5, Figs. 3 and 4 of thedrawings, the upper end of a supportin bracket 6, which said bracket at7 is slidaly mounted on a stud 8 outwardly projected from the bed 9 ofthe egg runway and held hereto in any desired osition by means of a setscrew 10. Throug an opening formed in the bracket 6extends the free endof an adj usting rod 11 secured to and extended outwardly from theplates b of the fixed brushes 3-3, and to the outer end of said rod 11is ivotally secured a cam lever 12, the cam ace of which works againstthe outer face of the bracket 6. Said cam 12 is maintained against theface of the bracket 6 by the tension of the sprin 13 surrounding theadjustin rod 11 an held between the face of relatively to the stud 8 soas to move the fixed brush toward or from the base 9 of the eggrunway,and the other by throwing the cam lever 12 so as to vary theinclination of the fixed brushes relative to the horizontal face of theendless carrier 4. As the fixed brushes are suspended from a pivoted Iconnection relative to the brackets 6 and With each of the revolvinbrushes 22' is associated a longitudinal isposed e g receiving pocket ortrough 14, ofa lengt correspondlng to that of the brushes. Theapproximate depth and width of these pockets or troughs is clearly shownby Fig. 2 of the its inner front wall cut away in order to drawings,each pocket or container having provide an entrance way 15 for thepassage of eggs to the interior t ereof, being uided therein b the guidewall 16 and t e deflector wa l 17.

- Rotary motion and endless travel is imparted to the brushes 2-2' andthe carrier 4, respectively, by any suitable form" of mechanism, suchfor instance as disclosed in my said pendin application Serial Number433528, and lie in said application the fixed and rotary brushes arearranged in pairs alternately on one and the other side of the egg path,and the egg receiver pockets or troug one and the other side of therotar brushes.

Associated with the fixed brus es 33' and extended alon the pathway forthe eggs are the perforate spray pipes 18,, to wh1ch water underpressure is supplied for spraying the said brushes so as to wet the sameand assist the action thereof in freeing the surface of the eggs of thedirt and foreign material adhering thereto.

In operation, the eggs to be cleaned are delivered onto the carrier 4and advance thereby stream-wise through the egg runway. During thecourse of movement the eggs are first subjected to the action of thefixed brushes 3 and co-acting rotary brush 2, the action of the lattertending to maintain the eggs in rotation and the co-action of thebrushes 2-3 is such as to remove dirt and foreign substances from thesurface of the eggs which are wetted by the sprays of water playin Iagainst the fixed brushes. The continue movement of the eggs sub- .jectsthe same to the action of the second setof rotary and fixed brushes2'-3', op

ositely arran d relative to the first set of brushes and w ich serve toremove any dirt adhering to the eggs after leaving the first set ofbrushes. The cleaned and washed e gs as carried from between the secondset 0 brushes are delivered by the endless car- 'and a materia s 14 arearranged alternately on rier 4 as cleaned eggs onto any suitable meansfor receiving the same for further treatment.

In case for any reason whatever the eggs until brought into contact withthe deflector or stripper plate 17, which will direct the egg away fromthe rotary brush and with the action of the guide plate or apron 16cause the same to roll within the pocket or trough 14 situated toreceive such eggs as are crowded out of the direct line of travel of thestream of e gs. Certain of such eggs so received will cracked more orless, while others will be delivered into the pockets or troughs 14 inan undamaged condition. Such undamaged eggs are removed by the attendantof the machine and returned onto the endless egg carrier to be advancedthrough the apparatus for cleaning, while such of the eggs as have theshell thereof only slightly cracked or marketable for various purposes.It will thus be noted by the incorporation within the apparatus of thepockets or troughs 14 for receiving the eggs crowded or forced out ofthe stream of eggs, such eggs are salvaged so to speak saving of theloss which heretofore resulted is created and which amounts to aconsiderable sum where eggs in large number are subjected daily to theaction of the cleaning machine.

By adjustably mounting the fixed scrubbing brushes?) and 3 of the eggrunway, the same may be varied as to position in order to regulate theegg runway for the successful handling of eggs of varying sizes, therebyadaptin the machine for the cleaning arge an small eggs. The revolvingbrushes 2-2 are mounted respectively on the shafts 1919 working i insuitable bearings of the apparatus and which, as before stated, aredriven by any suitable form of drive mechanism.

The working parts of the apparatus are inclosed by the housing 20, whilethe ockets or troughs 14 are closed by the hinge covers 7 or doors 21.

Preferably the pockets or housings are formed of reticulated material,so that all water fiowin therein from the rotary brushes will rainreadily therefrom, such water and equallyso the water ejected onto thefixed brushes of the egg-runway flowing downwardly into the dram pan 22and discharging therefrom through the drain outlet 23. i

While a preferred embodiment of an apparatus has been described for thecarrying out of the invention, I am well aware that changes may be madein the detailed construction of the working parts herein shown anddescribed without creat' a departure from the s irit of the resentinvention and do not wis to be un erstood as restricting or confiningthe invention to said detailed described parts, but on the contra WlShto be understood as claiming as broa ly as the state of the art willwarrant the incorporat ing within or associating wlth the egg-runwaymechanism means for salvaging the eggs removed or raised from within thestream of e gs as advanced through the apparatus to In cleaned, wherebya recovery of such eggs heretofore lost is made.

Havin thus described the invention what is claim and desired to beprotected by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for the described purpose, the same compris ng anendless longitudinally disposed carrler for receiving and advancing eggsstream-wise through the apparatus, an egg runwag-xcom of plaral eldisposed rotary and ed rushes t rough WhlCh the carrier works and theeggs are advanced in contact therewith, the rotary brush co-acting withthe carrier and'the fixed brush for imparting rotary moyement to theeggs, and means associated w1th the egg runway for receivingl such ofthe eggs as are crowded out of e egg-stream advanced through saidrunway.

2. An apparatus for the described purpose, the same comprising anegg-runway consisting of parallel dlsposed rotary and fixed brushes, acarrier for advancing eggs stream-wise through said runway and incontact with the surfaces of the brushes, and means associated with saidrunway for receiving such of the eggs asare crowded out of the stream ofeggs as advanced through the egg1 runway.

3. apparatus for the described purpose, the same comprising anegg-runway comprising a plum 'ty of lo 'tudlnally disposed rotarybrushes and a p urality of fixed brushes associated therewith, saidbrushes being arranged in pairs oppositely disposed, a carrier foradvancing eggs stream-wise between and in contact with said brushes, andmeans associated with each pair of brushes for receiving such of theeggs moved within the runway as are crowded or lifted out of the streamof eggs as advanced through the apparatus.

4. In an apparatus for the described purpose, the combination with alongitudinally disposed endless traveling carrier adapted to receive andadvance eggs to be cleaned stream-wise through the apparatus, cleaningmechanism associated with said carrier for contactin with the eggs andcleaning the surface t ereof as advanced through the ap- 65 paratus, andmeans adapted to receive such of the eggs as are crowded out of themoving stream of eggs.

5. In an apparatus for the described purpose, the combination withacarrier adapted to receive eggs to be cleaned and advancing the samestream-wise through the a paratus, Ezrallel disposed rotary and fixebrushes tween an in contact with which the eggs to be cleaned arefldVflIlCQKL fl longitudinal y disposed pocket associated with therevolving brush for receiving such of the eggs as are crowded out of thestream of eggs as advanced between the brushes, and means for directingthe eggs into said pocket.

6. In an apparatus for the described purpose, a runway com 4 of aplurality of pairs of oppositely isposed parallel rotary and fixedrushes, means for receiving and advancing eggs stream-wise between andin contact with said brushes, means for supplying water to the brushes,and a longitudinal y disposed pocket associated with each of the rotarybrushes for receiving such of the eggs as are crowded and lifted out ofthe stream of eggs as advanced through the apparatus.

7. The combination with the cleaning brushes of an egg runway, a carrierfor receivin and advancing eggs stream-wise theret rough, and meansassociated with the runway for receiving and recovering such of the eggsas are lifted out of the stream of eggs as advanced through the runwa 8.An apparatus for the describe purpose, the same comprising an egg runwaycomposed of a longitudinally disposed rotary cleaning brush and a fixedlaterally adjustable brush arranged parallel therewith, a carrier forreceiving and advancing eggs stream-wise between and in contact withsaid brushes, means for varying the position of the adjustable brush toadapt the egg runway for the handling of eggs of varying sizes, andaocket associated with the rotary brush of t runway adapted to 110receive such of the eggs as are crowded out of the streamv of eggs asadvanced through the apparatus.

9. An apparatus for the described purpose, the same comprising an eggrunway 11b consistin of a plurality of rotary longitudinally disposedrota brushes and a plurality of fixed adjusta 1e brushes associatedtherewith, said brushes being arranged in pairs oppositely disposed, acarrier for re- 120 ceiving and advancing eg stream-wise between and incontact with said brushes, means for supplying water. to the brushes,means associated with the brushes of the runway for receiving such ofthe eggs as are 125 crowded from the egg stream as advanced through theegg runway, and devices for adjusting the fixed brushes to vary the e grunway 1n accordance with the size of t e eggs to be passedtherethrough.

10. An apparatus for the described purpose, the same comprising: runwayconsistmg of two parallel mem rs adapted to engage and clean the surfaceof eggs, a carrier for receiving and advancing eggs streamwise throughsaid runway, and means associated with the runway adapted to receive andretain such of the eggs as are crowded out of the stream of eggs asadvanced through said runway.

11. An apparatus for the described purpose, the same comprising a runwayconsisting of two parallel members adapted to engage and clean thesurface of eggs, a carrier for receiving and advancing eggs 15 vancedthrough said runway, and devices 20 for adjusting the position of onemember of I the runway to vary the same in accordance with the size ofthe eggs to be treated.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this s ecification.

COL NEL J. WILLIAMSON.

